The timing of tax hikes leaves a lot to be desired, says a local business owner.

B次元官网网址淚 understand that governments has a fiscal year,B次元官网网址� said Andy Carrier, the owner of Sooke 2 for 1 Pizza. B次元官网网址楤ut the tax increases on Jan. 1 come at the worst time of the year for small businesses. Sales are down, which is typical of a lot of businesses like ours. The only ones seeing increases are gym memberships and weight loss clinics.B次元官网网址�

Carrier said the amount employers pay into Canada Pension Plan benefits went from 5.7 per cent to 5.95 per cent, as well as a bump from 1.58 per cent to 1.63 per cent for the amount employers pay for employment insurance on Jan. 1.

B次元官网网址淎nd as of Jan. 1, all digital tips are now recorded on kitchen staff salaries, which raises the percentage of what I have to pay,B次元官网网址� he added. ItB次元官网网址檚 too early in the year to say how much these changes will cost, but they will be significant.B次元官网网址�

Not only is it the worst time of the year for increases, but theyB次元官网网址檙e coming on the heels of the three-year COVID pandemic that hammered many small businesses, and at a time when many costs are rising as well, he noted.

B次元官网网址淭he wholesale price I pay for pepperoni went up 30 per cent in one year, and the cost of pizza boxes just went up by 10 per cent,B次元官网网址� Carrier said. B次元官网网址淚 get a lot of support from my suppliers, and they only raised the prices as late as possible with the least amount of increase.

B次元官网网址淧eople are losing jobs over this,B次元官网网址� he added. B次元官网网址淒istributors and manufacturers are losing staff because theyB次元官网网址檙e losing sales. IB次元官网网址檝e been established in Sooke for 26 years and know what IB次元官网网址檓 doing. I havenB次元官网网址檛 raised my prices for well over a year, but I spent today raising my prices by five per cent across the board. IB次元官网网址檓 fortunate to have long-term quality staff and donB次元官网网址檛 have to deal with the additional cost of training, but itB次元官网网址檚 really challenging for new businesses.B次元官网网址�

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Britt Santowski, executive director of the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce, agreed that the reality of costs going up across the board is a challenge for small businesses.

B次元官网网址淭he B.C. Chamber of Commerce is lobbying the provincial government to ease costs on small businesses, and as a member, we support those efforts,B次元官网网址� she said.

A Feb. 28 media release from the BC Chamber of Commerce took issue with the provincial government budgetB次元官网网址檚 lack of support for small businesses.

B次元官网网址淲hile todayB次元官网网址檚 budget focused on affordability and reducing the cost of living, it provided little support to businesses who are struggling with the cost of doing business,B次元官网网址� said Fiona Famulak, president and CEO of the B.C. Chamber of Commerce. B次元官网网址淚n order to have healthy communities, we need to ensure we have healthy businesses. TodayB次元官网网址檚 budget did not take meaningful steps towards addressing the concerns that we have raised.B次元官网网址�

For a look at the entire statement and other business news, visit bcchamber.org.

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